MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

11/2 Free agent discussions

Outfielder Reed Johnson and pitchers John Grabow, Rich Harden, Kevin Gregg, and Chad Fox are eligible to file for free agency as soon as the World Series ends. A player must file within 15 days after the World Series is over. The Cubs will retain exclusive negotiating rights during that 15-day period.

The Cubs began discussions with Grabow’s agent before the regular season ended. The team was expected to try and re-sign the left-handed reliever, acquired July 30 along with Tom Gorzelanny from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“I want to come back,” Grabow said in early October. “[Cubs general manager Jim Hendry] knows that. It’s just a matter of getting it done.”

There were reports Monday that the two sides were discussing a two-year deal in the $6.5 million to $7.5 million range. Grabow, who turns 31 on Wednesday, appeared in a career-high 75 games this past season for the Pirates and Cubs combined.

As long as we’re discussing who should play center field for the Cubs, who would you keep in this group?

— Carrie Muskat

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9 Comments

I would keep Grabow and Johnson ( he should be playing Center along with Flud)
Harden will cost to much for what he is worth at this point but if he stays healthy he may be worth it
tho I don’t think wee need to be nursing anymore pitchers
As for Gregg I hope to never see him again !

Outfield notwithstanding (not to say he’s not great out there), we need Reed in the clubhouse. Also, as just okay as his offense was, he was one of the few guys that stepped it up in the clutch (as I remember… prove me wrong with stats if appropriate). D-Lee are A-Ram are great guys and great players but they aren’t the guys getting on the guys who need getting on. Absent Woody and Dero (not complaining, just stating) we need Reed to go along with Demp and (hopefully he will continue to develop) Riot.

Sori and Braddles are wet blankets enough on their own… If we have to have them both back, both they and us would be better off with more go-to intangibles and fewer go-to stats in the clubhouse. I think Sori should have had surgery before last season, not after, so I wouldn’t bet against him having a great year in 10 (I didn’t say I would bet on it.) I really honestly wish I could say something more positive about Bradley but I don’t think there’s any chance he can be successful playing for the Cubs (fans/media, clubhouse, last year, etc.) I think there’s a good chance that we can trade him for an equally talented and flawed player that will benefit, rather than suffer, from playing at Wrigley.

Soriano have a great 2010? Wouldn’t he have to be a very good outfielder in order to have a great year? He may hit great again (doubtful) but his lack of outfield skills will prevent him from ever having a “great” year unless he is traded soon to an American League team and becomes a fulltime DH. Something Hendry should be working on but he’s too busy trying to counteract all his other glaring mistakes.

Grabow and Johnson are the only two that should be brought back. Reed can give Kosuke and Soriano time off, and whomever is in centerfield, and has a great attitude as has been mentioned. He also should be relatively cheap. Harden is interesting, but I would rather see some youth in our rotation.

Reed Johnson and Grabow should come back hopefully . I like harden but he will be pricey(and is injury prone, won’t give you alot of innings) and we have andrew casher who might be ready soon if gorzellany doesn’t pan out. I like gorzellany and hope he does, but we’ll see. I hope samardijza comes around but I’m not holding my breath. He has talent, but who knows if he can develop some other effective pitches. Reed Johnson is a great guy i hope we see him back (and he stays healthy)!!!!!

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